Trekking Guide: How to prepare for hiking in Torres del Paine, Patagonia (Chile)

Here you'll find all info needed on how to prepare for hiking in Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile. Even the Lonely Planet considers the trails here as some of the worlds best trekking routes. I hiked the “Q” in 2013 and did the circuit again in 2016, altogether I spent 3 weeks in the park. (Completely updated: November 2018)

Download my Torres del Paine Trekking guide! I published all information needed to plan your trip to Chile in one clear and concise guide book based on my experience. This book includes travel guides for each region of Chile with a strong focus on Patagonia and is designed to save you a lot of time & will make your trip much easier!

1) Backpack & Gear

Camping is the cheapest option and I highly recommend going for this if you want the best experience (see (3) for Campsites and other options) – therefore you should bring:

a) Tent Should be lightweight, spacious and should have aluminium poles due to the strong winds. I found the MSR tents to be very recommendable – I went with a “Hubba” and met many fellow hikers using MSR tents who were very happy with their choice, too!

b) Trekking Backpack I recommend using a comfy hiking backpack with options to attach tent and mat – use a bigger one for the longer itineraries like the circuit or ‘Q'

What should I do with my luggage? No worries! Almost all hotels and hostels in Puerto Natales offer the possibility to store the luggage you don't need for the trek. Of course it would be nice to also stay with them after your trek – this way you also return to a place which you are already familiar with (check my recommendation at 10).

Consider: I used 1,5 gas cans for 7 days (breakfast & dinner) for myself only. I didn't use trekking poles at all but would recommend buying some lightweight ones for the steeper parts as they give you more stability, especially when walking downhill (I was fortunate to use one from my friends for the hairy parts of the circuit!).

2) Bus to Torres del Paine / Transportation inside

my own map of the park – red is the “W” trek, green plus red the circuit

The standard starting point for the park is usually the small town named Puerto Natales in Chile. Situated 112 km south of the National Park it offers regular transfers with Buses who depart from the bus terminal.

Get in Nearly every hostel in Puerto Natales sells return tickets, but prices can vary between 15.000 (22 USD, directly at the office of the bus company inside the bus terminal) and 18.000 CLP (at the hostel). By buying a return ticket you can leave the date of return open so you can extend or shorten your stay in the park as you wish. Buses leave Puerto Natales at 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and will need 2,5 hrs to arrive at the park entrance (Laguna Amarga). Beside the entrance there are 2 more stops afterwards in the park: Pudeto an hour later, where you can catch the boat to Paine Grande (see below) and the Administration about 2 hours later.

Get around Inside the park you can take a boat which connects Pudeto and the campsite / refugio Paine Grande. The catamaran will cost you 20.000 CLP one way(30 USD) and 30.000 CLP (50 USD) for an open return ticket. During high season the boat leaves from Pudeto 09:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 4:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. and will take around 30 minutes – the other way it leaves at 09:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2.30 p.m., 5:00 p.m. (bus connection) and 6:30 p.m. (bus connection). For more info and updated schedules check the certain catamaran info page.

Another option inside the park is to take a minishuttle between the entrance and the Hotel Las Torres. When arriving at the park you just go there, hop on and pay 2.800 CLP (= 4 € / 5 USD). It takes just a few minutes. For the way back it leaves around 30-45 mins before the bus to Puerto Natales arrives at the entrance.

The 3rd option is a rather expensive one where you'd need additional transport inside the park to get to the Lago Grey Pier. From here you can take a boat to Refugio Grey for about 50000 CLP (= 64 € / 72 USD) one way. The same is possible vice versa, for both options you should book in advance. The whole service is offered by the Hotel Lago Grey so it makes sense to stay there if you want to do this.

Get out You have again two times at the same bus stops. The early bus leaves from the Administration at 1 p.m., from Pudeto at 1:30 p.m. and from the entrance at 2:30 p.m. The late bus leaves from the Administration at 6 p.m., from Pudeto at 7 p.m. and from the entrance (Laguna Amarga) at 7:45 p.m.

3) Camping in Torres del Paine & Refugios

Campsite at Paine Grande

I recommend using your own tent / renting a tent in Puerto Natales and camp at the campsites. Consider: cooking is only allowed in campsites / refugios, open fire is not allowed anywhere in the park (smoking is only allowed at the cooking shelters!). The same goes for camping in general.

Refugios & Domes A bed will be around 35-170 USD in a dorm and you have to pay extra for breakfast (around 14 USD) and sheets or bring a sleeping bag. The refugios are operated by two different companies and you need to book everything in advance especially in the high season.

The main refugios offer a range of services beside accommodation such as tent rental, meals (both to be booked in advance!), kiosks, electricity, some even have a bar and (expensive, slow) WiFi.

Free Campsites Wohoo – free accommodation! Yeah that sounds good, huh? Unfortunately there are just a few and some of them might be closed. So: if you want to do one of the big treks you have to stay at paid campsites in between. The setup for a free camp is always the same: you have a rain-covered construction to cook at, places to set up your tent, toilets and water (mostly from a stream).

Please head to the official reservation system to reserve your spot at the free CONAF campsites in advance. (For now the instruction page is available in Spanish only, but you can change the language settings once you are in the reservation process). Please consider that you can stay for one night only. Reservations are mandatory.

Consider: you always have to take your garbage with you and you should wash dishes away from the stream. I highly encourage you to take this seriously and talk to fellow campers who don't respect the rules to protect the environment!

Paid Campsites There are two kinds of paid campsites – the private campsites and the ones next to a refugio. The prices vary, usually the ones next to a refugio are more expensive. The difference between both are the facilities you can find: private campsites offer a place to cook, toilets, showers and water as well as a small shop. At the refugios you have the possibility of using the restaurant, a minimarket and sometimes you have plugs to charge the batteries of your camera.

Important: During the last few years the visitor numbers to the park increased strongly. Therefore you need to reserve each campsite well in advance for the exact day you want to stay there. You can do so on the website of the companies. Fantastico Sur raised their prices dramatically and only offers platform camping with fullboard options for Los Cuernos & Chileno (try to avoid by using Francés and Torre Central). If you're late to the party your only chance is to book a guided trek, as those have reserved spots for their dates. Another option is to do day tours and day hikes which I highlight in this article.

4) Weather, Clothes & Insurance

View to Glacier Grey

First of all: in Patagonia you can have basically everything in one day, this means: snow, rain and sun. You'll always have very strong winds to deal with, this means: up to more than 100 km/h. Speaking for the summer season you should be prepared to temperatures until below 0°C. In winter it can be quite cold. I personally recommend to hike during the shoulder season October/November and March/April to avoid the crowds (depending on the exact date you might also not need to book camp sites in advance).

The high season in Torres del Paine lasts from 1st of October to 30th of April, the low season from 1st of May to 30th of September. Though the park is open all year round most trails, camp sites and refugios are closed in winter (May-August). If you still want to hike in winter you need to get in touch with CONAF, come well prepared and consider going with a guide as trails are hard to find after snowfall (there is no maintenance during that time of year).

It's always best to check the weather before you go even though the forecast is not reliable and weather can change quite quick. So: better be prepared for everything. Even in summer I recommend to take a jumper for the colder parts of the trek like the John Gardner Pass. In Winter you should add layers of warm clothes.

I also always advise on getting travel insurance as it is important to have you covered in case anything happens throughout your trip. I recommend the insurance by WorldNomads which has always been a reliable choice on my travels as it also covers many outdoor activities e.g. glacier hikes – you can use the calculator to get a price for your trip:

Consider:In February I used to trek with thermal shirt and long pants all the time – when it rained i kept walking (during summer season I recommend bringing a good rain jacket as well as a fleece jacket for the camps). Furthermore I had two of each, this means: walking clothes and dry clothes for the camps – i never mixed it to have always a set of dry clothes in my bag.

5) Which food to take for hiking in Torres del Paine?

Food for the trek

When I have been on the trek I saw different kind of strategies – basically it's very individual what to take for a multi-day hike. As I planed for 9 full days my main focus was to pack as light as possible because food will be the heaviest part in your backpack in that case.

Moreover it's always nice to have some chocolate and sweeties to treat yourself, also a small amount of alcohol is not a bad idea for cold nights (i took 200ml of pisco – also cool to celebrate the finish of a steep trail).

The second great option I got to try on my recent hiking trip in 2016 is to take lightweight freeze dried meals. Those meals are easy to prepare, they don't take much space and they taste actually not too bad. If you want to go for this option you should definitely buy it at home or online and take it to Chile with you (make sure ingredients are in line with the strict import regulations)!

Tip: I was drinking the water from the streams – you'll have a stream nearly every 20 minutes when hiking. I simply used my cup to drink the water which has the best quality one can find.

At the campsites and the busier parts of the park you should be careful, go a bit up the stream and consider purifying using a SteriPen to ensure to drink clean water (there are some stupid people washing there dishes in the water which is strictly forbidden and led to problems with water quality in 2016 where several hikers got sick!).

So: just take a small bottle with you for the time in between and to purify water when needed.

6) Costs to calculate (Entrance & Shops)

As mentioned in the beginning the Torres del Paine is stunning and therefore very popular and it knows it – apart from the costs already mentioned for campsites and transportation you should calculate the following as well:

7) Hiking Routes Torres del Paine: the W, circuit, the Q

If you are still unsure which trek to do and you already have some hiking experience let me tell you: this park is absolutely worth staying for a longer time or doing a longer trek. If you are not short on time think about doing one of the big treks and maybe plan to do one of the more relaxed schedules you find below.

The advantages of doing the full circuit also known as the “O” are that you get to see some incredible landscape, you'll have much less people (the number is restricted to 80, reservation needs to be done in advance), you spend more time in the park and you get to know some great people as you'll meet your fellow hikers each day at the same camping sites.

my itineraries for you

Download my Chile Guide incl. TdP itineraries

Backpacking in Chile: my Chile Travel Guide

This is a clear and concise guide book based on my experience from 6 months traveling through Chile.

It includes travel guides for each region of Chile as well as a complete trekking guide for Torres del Paine, plus route itineraries. Checklists are included to help make sure you don’t forget anything.

This book is designed to save you a lot of time & make your trip much easier. Download it now or buy the paperback and take it with you!

I used this map to prepare my itinerary in Torres del Paine, Chile. As it is a waterproof map it is also great to use it on the trek!

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Trekking Patagonia, Lonely Planet

This is a must if you plan to hike a few times in Patagonia as this guide has itineraries for several parts of Patagonia and even for Tierra del Fuego. It's a good resource for the popular spots like Torres del Paine and Chaltén as well as the lesser known parts. Highly recommended!

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8) Which camera gear to bring?

It would be a shame to experience the park without taking pictures as the landscape is outstanding. Have a look at the video below and the photo essay from Torres del Paine to see the results.

GoPro Hero

Since more than 3 years this little genius is my travel companion. Until today I produced more than 75 video episodes with the most versatile camera: it is robust, waterproof, small and easy to handle.

If you want DSLR quality but don’t want to carry around a heavy DSLR you should get this Sony camera. I really love it as it is easy to handle and takes great photos without you needing to be a professional photographer. This compact interchangeable Lens camera costs less than a DSLR and fits easily in your pocket. If you want awesome photos from your trip to Torres del Paine you will be thankful for this investment later, for sure!

9) Videos of hiking in Torres del Paine

In 2016 I revisited Torres del Paine and spent around 2 weeks inside the National Park: first I hiked the full circuit (which includes the “W”), next I stayed at the Hotel Las Torres inside the park for a few more days to explore the several day tour options.

My goal was to create a useful documentary to show which options you have exploring the park, what it is like to hike Torres del Paine and what you get to see when doing so. Enjoy!

10) Where to sleep in Puerto Natales

Living Room Yagan House

The eco hostel named Yagan House was my home for almost 2 weeks and is the perfect starting point for your hiking adventures. I liked the relaxed atmosphere and the cozy common areas – due to the interior it somehow felt more like a mountain lodge than a usual hostel.

Moreover the owner Paulina and her staff are very sympathetic and helpful: you can book bus tickets, organize other activities like kayaking or trips to El Calafate.

Breakfast at Yagan House

Also the breakfast was great: home made bread, yoghurt, cereals, butter, marmelade, freshly made scrambled eggs, tea and coffee are a good base for your first day of hiking in the park. On top of that you have a lot of extra services like a luggage room, laundry, rental of hiking equipment and a small housebar (beer, wine, pisco sour, hot chocolate, brownies).

Positive: there are 4 bathrooms so you never have to wait, great service, cozy atmosphere, luggage room for your time on the Trek, nice staffDownsides: the Internet was sometimes very instabile (we had to restart the router quite often)Prices: Dorm (4 Bed) from 10.000 CLP (= 15 € / 21 USD) , Private from 14.000 CLP (= 22 € / 30 USD)

Address: O'Higgins 584

Special Deal: I can offer you a great give-away! If you use the discount code “holagringo yagan house” when checking in you get a free laundry per booking. A great chance to start on the trek with fresh clothes or get it clean afterwards while chilling in the cozy living room.

Alternative Hotels & Hostels in Puerto Natales (Budget & Mid-range)

Hostal Treehouse Patagonia – similar to the Yagan House this hostel offers privates as well as dorms in a very cozy, modern atmosphere.

Toore Patagonia (***) – those of you who want more privacy should look into booking one of the comfortable, neatly designed bungalows at Toore Patagonia. Great deal!

11) Where to stay inside the park

The Hotel Las Torres is located at the beginning of the trail to the Torres (doable as a 1 day trek from here!) Do you want to add a bit of luxury to the end of your hike? Then this is a great option to not only spend more time inside the park but also to explore more and eat some great food!

I got the chance to spend 4 days at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia in 2016 after I finished the circuit trek and used it to explore the spots you don't get to see when hiking. The fact that the area the hotel is located in is a private area owned by the hotel makes it possible to explore this part of the park on horses. My personal highlight was the rather tough horse riding/hiking combination up to the Cerro Paine which is opposite to the Torres and offers a unique view, a tour offered exclusively by the hotel (only 3 groups went up there in 2016!).

The Hotel itself is -hands down- definitely an upscale choice but offers the best location inside the park (perfect base for photographers), great tours and is a good choice for those who want to explore the park with day trips. Though a bit pricey the rooms are comfortable, the food and the bar are very good, also WiFi is included (but not as fast due to the location).

For those who finish the trip here but won't stay at the hotel: you are welcome to have a bite or a drink at the bar which has a lovely view to the Paine Massif before you leave!The tour up to the top of the Cerro Paine is the most intense one the Hotel offers but rewards you with one of the most unique views only a handful of visitors get to see per year!

other Hotels inside Torres del Paine (Mid-range & Luxury) All Hotels listed here are pricey but offer great location and excellent services inside the National Park.

Hotel Lago Grey (***) – located in the westernmost part of the the park the Hotel Lago Grey offers comfort paired with some great options to see the Grey glacier up close and explore some of the most incredible viewpoints in the area.

Explora Patagonia (*****) – in terms of location and views this Hotel takes the cake as it is situated right next to the Lago Pehoé. Also here you have plenty of tour options to choose from which are mostly included in the room rates. You should get a drink before you checkout the prices though ;)

Ho(s)tels next to Torres del Paine (Budget & Mid-range) The following options are located right next to the Serrano park entrance just before the Visitor center in Villa Serrano and are way more affordable.

Vista al Paine Refugio – this solid B&B offers a range of private accommodation options as well as a dorm for those on a tighter budget.

Pampa Hostel – this cozy, modern hostel offers beds in 4 bed dorms with shared bathroom facilities and has a great view to the mountains of Torres del Paine. A rich breakfast is included which makes it a pretty good deal!

Konkashken Lodge – is one of the cheapest options in the area but still offers great value with its numerous cozy cabanas and its friendly owners who are there to help you. You can either stay in a private ore at one of the dormitories

With the horse riding excursion from the hotel you are able to explore different parts of the park

12) Guided Trekking Tours

Another option is to book a complete tour – this way you can leave the organization, gear rental, transportation, food and booking of campsites to local experts. Though you pay more you'll get the full package this way including porters and a knowledgable guide. Also here you need to be quick as tours sell fast – my tip would be to go for the circuit trail as your chances are higher to secure a spot (and it is the most awesome route anyway!)

After working with them in Africa (Kilimanjaro), South America (Peru) & Cuba I highly recommend the tours offered by G Adventures as their philosophy and focus on sustainable travel are in line with my personal values. With many years of expertise you can expect a well organized, fun trips in small groups with like-minded travelers:

Discover Patagonia (NatGeo Tour) – complete 14 day Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego tour covering all the highlights in the north (Bariloche, Puerto Varas), the south (Torres del Paine – day tour, Calafate, Chalten) and Ushuaia including exclusive National Geographic expeditions and talks.

Helpful? Share this comprehensive guide via Pinterest!

How to prepare for trekking in Torres del Paine

Any tips for hiking in Torres del Paine to add?

If you have any tips or hints feel free to join the conversation – post a comment below and share your experience! Moreover you can share this article with your friends on Twitter, Facebook or Google Plus by using the related buttons on the left.

Disclosure: My accommodation at the Hotel Las Torres was provided by the hotel due to the fact that I was filming an episode for my TV show and YouTube channel. Nevertheless I wasn't asked to write about my experience here but decided to include it as I liked it and wanted to share another option for those who want to explore more of the park. All the content I provide from my travels is completely my own – this goes for opinions and views as well as for recommendations.

106 Comments

[…] I’ll first explain the standard route and then give examples of longer & shorter itineraries. Please plan your trips always with regard to your physical ability and your experience. If you have no or just a bit of hiking experience keep it low and plan more time for each trek. To prepare for trekking in Torres del Paine checkout my other post named ‘How to prepare for hiking in Torres del Paine’. […]

[…] Like in the other Guides for the shorter W trail I’ll first explain the standard route and then give examples of longer & shorter itineraries afterwards. Please plan your trips always with regard to your physical ability and your experience. If you have no or just a bit of hiking experience keep it low and plan more time for each trek. To prepare for trekking in Torres del Paine checkout my other post named ‘How to prepare for hiking in Torres del Paine’. […]

[…] very common to share travel experiences and tips over a few beers. While traveling through Patagonia from south to north I met other backpackers in hostels which traveled the other way round and gave […]

Loved this post and your photos, once again, are outstanding…You seem to get better and better with your photography…. Hoping to do some of my own backpackin’ and trekking come the first of this new year….. Take care and keep up your wonderful posts and photos….

[…] space at the camp Torres is limited as it is a free campsite (read more about campsites and information) so you need to be early to safe a good spot. As you see it has been a good decision to start so […]

Hey Charlie – I used the power bank (it is listed in my gear list – you can find it in the navigation “bags & gear”). It comes with all plugs you need so you can charge your GoPro on the way! I used 3 spare batteries as well.

Steve, My wife and I just got back from Patagonia. It was incredible and your guide gave us all the info we needed. We didn’t even bother with the info meeting at the Erratic Rock. Thanks. If you get an email address to us I will send you a link to our pictures when I get them posted. David

Hey David – thanks for the lovely comment which means really a lot to me as it keeps me motivated to do more of this kind of Guides. I’m glad you liked the hike and came back with memories that will stick for years to come! My mail: [email protected]

Hi Steve! My husband and I are trying to plan a vacation to hike Torres del Paine in March 2015 and I just wanted to say how much I love your blog. I have experience backpacking in Alaska about 10 years ago when I was living there, but my husband is less experienced and we really haven’t done too much in the last decade. How much hiking experience do you think we need? Would we benefit from a guide? We’d like to do the full circuit and saw that Erratic Rock offers a guided tour for 1200 US per person — is that worth it, you think? Thank you!

Hey Yin – I’m sorry to answer so late but I’ve been traveling a lot meanwhile.

To answer your question: the W-Trek is a great one even for beginners. Most parts are easy to walk – only the last part up to the Torres, up to the mirador in the french valley are a bit tough. All paths are well marked, it’s actually harder to get lost than to find the way (this info is for the W). So: no need to spend a fortune for a guide if you get the right equipment, plan a bit more time to don’t be in a hurry and prepare a bit before leaving to Chile!

Hi Steve, In order to camp at any of the free or paid campsites along the W route, do you have to reserve sites in advance or do you simply pay and register for a site when you arrive? We are going in February and wanted to know if it is necessary to reserve camping or if we should wait until our arrival to find spots. Thanks for all the great info.

Hi there, Your page is super helpful! I am planning on doing the W Trek with two friends in early Jan 2015. Last minute decision! Heading in from El Calafate direction. Do we require to book camp sites? If not, are are they ever full? Thankyou, K.

Hi K, I’m planning on doing the W Trek this coming January 2016 and would love any advice as you did it at the same time! How many days did you take? Did you always camp? How heavy were your backpacks?! Tell me more or if you did a blog. Thanks Tabby

Thank you for your post. My husband and I are planning to hike the W trek this Christmas and were worried. We havent made any campsite bookings as yet. We have backpacking experience and were hoping to find availability in the free campsites. (we speak zero Spanish! Will that be a problem?)

Should we book the shuttle from PN to TDP much before or is it okay to wait till the before day and book it through our hostel?

Uh…from El Chalten it’s a long ride and you also have to cross the border which takes a while (they check every bag for vegetables and food due to strict import laws).

If you only have 3 days you should think about a version I didn’t mention: trek from Hotel Torres up to the Torres via Refugio Chileno on the first day, camp at Campamento Torres, get up early and see the towers at sunrise and head back to the hotel and to the park entrance. Have fun!

Hi Steve… as everyone else pointed out, your “how to” guide is awesome and comprehensive- best one I’ve come across yet! Thank you! I am glad to read that it is not necessary to book camping spots in advance. Does that mean you could literally book transportation, get there with all of your gear, and just start trekking, without much planning as to where you’ll stay? Also, we plan to camp without booking in advance, but don’t want to lug too much food around. Will it be possible to eat at the refugios that own the private campgrounds some of the nights? Thank you in advance!

Sure you can do it like suggested and just take my itinierary. Hiking in TdP is very easy compared to many other treks I did in Patagonia as there is literally mostly only one path to follow.

Camping can be done without booking in advance. Prices at the refugios are very high but you can eat there, just make sure to visit the website of the companies who run it to be 100% safe. When I was there mostly groups ate dinner there so I assume you might have to get in touch as they have limited supplies in the high season.

May can be very rough in matters of climate and I generally don’t recommend hiking alone in case of any emergency. Please try to find like minded trekkers in Puerto Natales and do it in a group for this time of the year. For more information about weather and conditions in the park you should get in touch with the CONAF office in Puerto Natales, the rangers there are also very helpful: http://www.conaf.cl/conaf-en-regiones/magallanes/oficinas-regionales/

Would it be possible to ONLY eat at the refugios and buy food at the local stores on the circuit, or do we have to bring in food? We will be doing the Q circuit in December/January. Hubby doesn’t want to deal with preparing food!

Thanks Steve. Very Quick Response!!! We are an older couple (72/60) and are used to trekking in Nepal where food is purchased along the route from various “lodges” (purely a dressed up term for cold, stone hut!). So then we would need to have a camp stove, cooking gear, etc?

I listed all the items I had with me above. In matters of cooking gear I kept it simple and light: I had some gas cans and a light mount to put a small, leightweight pot on (which I also used to eat out of), a fork, spoon and a knife..that’s it. My food was basic but gave me the energy I needed :)

But..again..the Refugios are expensive but offer the possibility to eat there. You should just check with them if you have to make a reservation as they often have groups there and need to plan as they get their supplies delivered by helicopter or horse (there are no roads!). You are aiming a popular season, too – so make sure you don’t end up hungry ;)

Thank you again Steve! Your site is such a wealth of information and your experience in TdP gives great credibility to what you have to say. The refugios are all booked up already, just so you know if anyone asks. Good info on making reservations for dinner though. Don’t know if it will happen that we eat there or not but good to know. Happy trekking!

My friends and I were wanting to do the O. We need the flexibility of our own car to get to and from the park for us to do that, otherwise we will lose a few days to the buses and will have to do the W. Are there places in TDP to park your car and leave it for 8-9 nights?

This info is super helpful. I was thinking about doing the W from May 9-15 but am worried about two things: weather and services that will be available (things seem to close up after Mar-Apr). I was going to stay in the refugios, but I’m not sure about their availability. Would you recommend against going during this time? Is it going to be more trouble than it’s worth? If not, anything I should be aware of?

If trekking the W at this time isn’t a good idea, anything else in South America I should do? I’m meeting up with friends in Cuzco on the 15th if that gives you a starting point.

Hello! I am hoping to hear back form you as you seem pretty knowledgable about Torres del Paine. I have a group of people and we are planning on going the last week of May. I have read several articles about hiking the w, o and q trails during both summer and winter, however I have heard hardly anything about going in fall (May and June). We are going May 20th – June 1st. Do you have any advice? We are prepared to deal with freezing cold weather but not too sure what to expect about everything else.

Hello Cara – this is a tricky one so please do this on your own responsibility.

Even though the park is open in winter, the trails are actually closed – same goes for camps and most of the refugios. If you still want to go you should be an experienced hiker, you should come well prepared and you should have a good knowledge about the place. If you want to go without a local guide or someone who knows the trails you should only do so if there is no snow to cover the trails as there is no maintenance to keep the trails visible in winter! I just came back from my second time hiking the circuit at the end of march and I’m planning on hiking it in winter next time but I will be accompanied by local friends of mine.

Hi Sam – it is not necessary to have a guide for the backside of the park! Who gave you this information? Though it is a tougher hike I still only consider it to be an average/moderate hike for experienced hikers.

Thanks a bundle for the information you have posted. In Dec/Jan I plan to do the “O”. I rang the CONAF office in Pto Natales and they gave me a number for the park. I spoke to a patient guy at the park over a crackling line (my Spanish is ok but not great). Assuming I understood correctly, he told me that I did not need to get special permission to do the “O”. He did not seem to know what I was talking about when I said that I had read that only 80 people per day were allowed on the back part of the track. He said I simply had to book the camp sites for each night along the route and then just turn up and the park and do the walk. Does this seem correct to you? Or do you think I should try the CONAF office in Puerto Natales again (and if so, do you know the correct email address)?

Also, according to the fantastico sur site, there is no cooking at the camping area at Refugio Chileno. Hence the only option is to camp and pay US$90 for full catering. Has this changed since you wrote this page or am I missing something?

First of: I just updated the whole guide recently with all new information.

This regulation is new since this year and was just announced by the end of the past season…so it is really hard to tell how it will be in the upcoming season. I’d recommend to get in touch with CONAF via eMail (address is provided in the camping section above) , pass on your details to get you on a list. Once in Puerto Natales it is always best to go to the CONAF office in town to double check, after all this is South America (things can get lost in translation) and the number of tourists are very high.

In matters of Chileno: this campsite was closed recently as the massive amount of campers had a negative impact on nature (resulting in issues with the water)…I’m not sure when and if they re-open this campsite. The refugio is still in operation and also the free Torres campsite is a good option….another option would be to use the campsite down next to the Hotel Las Torres (hiking up from there and back is a famous day hike). Please take into account that the refugio also has a shop with snacks, you don’t need to book full catering (I bought sandwiches there).

As mentioned already: there is such a high demand that I recommend booking in advance to be able to camp at those campsites. You need to understand that those regulations are needed to preserve the park. The limitation is completely new, this is why right now not everything is in place.

Please get in touch with CONAF directly to ensure your spot on the circuit!

Hi Steve great set of information! I will be travelling to South America for 3 months and am planning to travel light (backpacking). Is it possible to do the “O” Circuit with no tents and food i.e eat and stay along the way in the refugios? Alternatively is it possible to do with a tent but eat along the way?

I also read that you stayed in the Yagan house, is it safe to assume that I can keep a bag there in a locker if I have checked out for those 7-8 days?

I’m planning to do it in December, any help would be much appreciated! thanks in advance.

I covered that topic above. You take a bus to Puerto Natales..there are buses running every hour or so. Use your time in Puerto Natales to prepare and buy supplies (at least one night) and the take a bus to the park (there a a few bus companies).

BusSur also provides a direct connection to the Park from Punta Arenas.

1) right now you need to do the reservation for the O at the CONAF office in Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales. You should decide in advance what to do because spots are filling up quickly and the capacity is limited.

Awesome post, Steve, my girlfriend and I are using this to plan are W trek this December. I have a question and was hoping you could give us some insight. We have already booked our flight and have made reservations at the free campos. We we’re hoping to stay at either Chileno or Los Cuernos but both locations are reserved on the dates we were planning on going… :( Any advice? We’re freaking out a little

This is a wonderful resource Steve. Thanks for your time and effort in putting it together. My partner and I are hiking the W from 12th of Dec to 16th of Dec. We are doing the 5 day version and have successfully booked camping at Grey, Paine Grande, Campamento Torres. When trying to book camping at Los Cuernos through Fantastico Sur it came to $180USD because it had to include full board. Do you know what the deal is here, can you camp without paying full board? Alternatively we were looking at camping at Frances.

Thank you for the great post, this has been a great starting point for my planning. You mention that we need to reserve to do the full circuit but I am unable to find a site that allows me to do so, without joining a guide.

I’m looking into doing this trek this summer (January/February). Would it be possible to do it without a guide with no multi-day hiking experience? We’ve done some single-day circuits around Bariloche, Argentina last year, and are young (25/27) and in good physical state. Would you say the trails are doable/safe for two girls with no hiking experience alone?

Would we need to buy a GPS? Is a satellite phone necessary in those months or are there enough people passing through to get help in case of an emergency?

Hey, this park is the perfect playground even without much hiking experience. Just come prepared and fit. No need for guides, gps or satelite phone. Hope you have reserved everything already as this is the most popular time in the park.

Hi! Thanks for all your great advice! It’s really helpful. We are currently planning our w trek in Torres del Paine and unfortunately just now realizing that we are late with booking camping spots. We are planning to bring camping gear from Puerto Natales and have successfully booked the first three out of four nights. Torres (free) and central (fantastic sur) are, according to the websites, fully booked. That leaves us with a very expensive option of El Chileno. Do you have any experience with just going there and getting a spot, or are they actually fully booked as stated online? Or do you know of any alternatives where we can camp on the fourth night and still make it up to the Torres? Thanks! Lene & Markus

the full circuit is an incredibly beautiful hike. There is just one part which is a bit challenging in matters of heights (I also have a fear of heights but managed to do it twice) which is located between Paso and Refugio Grey. You can see this part in the video as well, it is just about 5-10 minutes of the trail where you need to make sure that you only look up :)

This has been immensely helpful! However, I started planning the camping reservation side of things it seems a bit late… The CONAF site says NOTHING is available until Christmas and my boyfriend and I are planning on hiking the full circuit 12/12-12/17 or so… That means that the free Torres and Paso campgrounds aren’t available… Do they ever free up/can we still bank on getting a spot there? Or should we make reservations for other places? (Push from Dickson to Grey, then from Frances to Central Torres). Kind of a bummer because it would be nice to hike right at the Torres site to get sunrise… We are SUPER minimalists and are trying to do this on the cheaper side. Very fit hikers and trail runners with good mountain/climbing experience, but we are blown away by the tourist presence for even the free camping! Last minute advice???

With this time given I’d suggest only doing the W as you’d need at least 7 days to do the circuit even when you are very good hikers. The distances are quite something and you should take some time to enjoy the landscape and to take pictures etc. Dickson to Grey e.g. is way too much, trust me.

Right now most spots are already booked until February.

My suggestion would be to do the Huemul Circuit in El Chaltén (Argentina) instead given you’re good mountaineers. This is a 4 day circuit which has it all.

Hello Steve – I just tried to book my accomodation in Torres del Paine for the W-circuit at the beginning of February 2017 with the help of your information and right now I feel very sad and disappointed, because all the free campsites are already booked out and and the campsites chileno and los cuernos want to have an unbelieveable 55.000 CLP for pitching up my own tent and forcing me to eat their food. Am I doing something wrong or do you have any other idea how I could do the circuit still with a low budget? I feel like a dream of my life is slipping away right now. I never would have expected that you have to book that far ahead, since all the Information I found so far was talking about booking a few days ahead. :-/

Sorry- I just noticed all the other comments on the topic “campgrounds”- We have our camping resevations now- after all the free campings were full, we have now one night in camp grey and paine grande and two nights in frances and central. We shound be able to do the W-Trek now, but it will take uns 7 days with one extra day for leaving the park.

Great post! one of the best I have see out there, so thank you so much! I have a group of 8 booked and ready for the W trek in early Jan. Unfortunately we have just realized that we only have 6 out of the 8 reservations at the free campsites for 2 nights. However we have already paid for Grey and Central for all 8 ppl. Obviously everything is now booked and I am unsure of what to do. Any advise here, how strict are they with the reservations now? Are they checking before you even do the circuit and won’t let you in if you don’t have a reservation for each person for every night?

Also at camp italiano and torres, do they have computers where they are checking or just the paper print-out. just trying to figure out what to do, as everyone has flights booked ect.

I’m in a similar situation, where we could only book 2 people instead of 4 at one of the paid sites (we did not get into any of the free sites). I am almost positive there’s no computer system, as they are still pretty primitive campsites. in previous years they accepted people without reservations so I am hoping we’ll be fine. We booked the extra 2 people at a campsite 4 hours away (where we’re going the next day) in case they are super strict, as we didn’t want to get removed from the park for missing 1 night.

Since the mandatory reservation system is new, there’s not a lot of comments from people in our situation yet. In another thread Steve said they come by your tents and check the paper reservations.

When are you going in early Jan (we are doing the W trek 4th-7th)? My advice would be book a paid site for the remaining 2 people, but try to get all 8 together in the main site, as there should be extra room. This is all just from what I’ve read online however.

Hi JJ, Lol we are actually trekking from Jan 3 – Jan 7!! Maybe we will pass each other on the circuit!

We are staying at Grey First, then Italiano, then Cental, then Torres. We are missing two reservations from Italiano and Torres. I ended up booking central for two night for 2 ppl just to have a reservation for everyone. But as you know Central is quite far from Italiano, so I am hoping they will just let us stay. Then for Torres, we all want to see the sunrise, so if they make 2 ppl hike all the way back down, that will slightly suck. But we are hoping they will be lenient and let us all stay together. Everything else except for central is sold out, so that was the only option to make reservations. I’m just hoping the rangers won’t bother us about doing the W and having reservations that don’t reflect that for 2 ppl. I’m hoping everything will be ok.

I actually called and spoke to CONAF in my broken Spanish for about half hour. She told me no would even be allowed into the park without reservations for every night. She said, maybe you could get by, but the official policy now is everyone has to have a reservation to even be allowed in the park.

We are staying at Paine Grande, then Frances, then Il Chileno (4 day version). Frances is the campsite I could only book for 2 of us. The other 2 have permits at Central for the 2nd night, but that’s a long day of hiking. We also plan to do the sunrise on the 7th. Coming from Il Chileno is farther than we hoped, but better than Central.

If they are lenient, I’d be interested to see if we can also stay in Torres. If that doesn’t work, your extra 2 are can try to stay with us in Il Chileno (and save the extra ~2 hr hike). That is the site that required us to pay for meals in addition to the campsite.

There was a post on trip advisor I saw of a group who had their wives complain about having to hike all the way back down, and were able to stay in Torres; so keep your fingers crossed.

How long ago did you book the free sites? I’m kicking myself for not doing it sooner and we ended up paying a lot more. Also, what about Italiano, did you make reservations for the 2 extras somewhere?

Hi! I have a question about hiking the Circuit in April. I’ve seen on the Fantastico Sur and Vertice website that the Refugios start closing April 1. Is it possible to complete the Circuit during April or should I stick to the W? I’m trying to weigh the options of putting off my trip until the next trekking season as I am going to be in Southeast Asia until mid March; and cannot get down to Patagonia until the end of March. And I really want to hike in Patagonia. Thanks!

Usually not, if you have a tiny/foldable one it can be useful at times as it is windy and the wind shelters are sometimes very packed. I went twice without a wind shield but built my own with stones in some of the camp sites (e.g. Dickson)

As said it depends on the weather – sometimes the pass closes even in summer if there is a heavy storm or snow. The weather is unpredictable in Patagonia…I hiked in February as well as March and never had an issue (but last time in March the closed the pass one day after we passed it for 1-2 days due to strong winds)

I’m just wondering: What if I arrive in Puerto Natales or wherever, before hiking, with more stuff? I think I’ll need two backpack as I’m staying 3 months in Chile. Can I leave one of them somewhere? Are there any services or places where I can do so?

Hi Steve, thank you for the great post. I am female traveling alone, and not much hiking experience. 1 Is it safe for me to go by myself without guide? 2 Is it easy to find people to go together in mid-March? 3 Is it easy to find partners for O trek? Will I get lost? 4 Where can I book shelters and food quickly and cheaper? Since I don’t wanna carry meals and tent. 5 If you think I need a guide? Where can I find cheaper tour?

Hi Claire, I went there last month with a small group, and we ran into a few solo female travelers doing the W.

I’d say it depends how little hiking/camping experience you have – only done day hikes? Probably best to find a partner. If you’ve done a multi-day hike, and have a decent fitness level, I think you won’t have trouble. The hikes themselves were not super strenuous. When I was there it was very safe with lots of friendly people around (we only did the more popular W not the full O) – every campsite was fully booked. Mid-march will be later season so it may be harder to find hiking partners but I’m sure the W portion will still be crowded.

I think you can do it without a guide as long as you reserve each night and know how far you can hike in a day. By renting tent/beds and buying meals, you’ll save a lot of weight. But if you have reservations, maybe just do the 4/5 day W trek so you won’t over-do it.

Check Steve’s specific guide on the full circuit for how to book shelters/food (you’ll want to reserve refugios). Note: even a campsite with meals and no tent ran about $80 each, so it won’t be cheap. Consider carrying snacks and saving the price of a meal or two a day. If you are a planner, and do enough research I think you will enjoy the rewards of doing it by yourself!

Hi Steve, Thanks for providing such great information. One thing I wanted to ask is we are traveling from Colorado and we are wondering where to fly in at in South America, what would be the best location? We plan on hiking first down in Patagonia, then we plan on adventuring in Buenos Aires for a while. Thanks!

thanks. For hiking in Patagonia you have 2 airports: Punta Arenas (for Torres del Paine) and El Chalafate (Perito Moreno & El Chaltén)…as you are speaking about Buenos Aires I’d suggest flying into Calafate as both are in Argentina and well connected!

What are people’s experiences with crossing the border into Chile and having food confiscated? I’ve heard mixed reports that even druid fruit, nuts, and homemade dehydrated food may be prohibited. We are planning to drive from El Chalten

Great info, very helpful but your advice on not getting sick while wet by keeping moving has no physiological basis and could lull inexperienced hikers in to packing badly :-) You don’t get sick from being wet, but you can get hypothermia from being cold. Its the wind chill that will get you and lead to hypothermia no matter how fast you walk. You only get sick if you pick up a virus or from bacteria. I would suggest a light spray jacket would make more sense. If your wet and the wind picks up and the temperature drops you could be in trouble. Why then be stuck with wet gear you might have to put on the next day when it could be 0 deg ?

Hi Steve, great post! I found it very helpful when planning my O circuit trek in December 2016. My parents are going in December 2017 and it’s interesting to see what has changed in only a year. You might want to note that CONAF campamento Torres is closed for the 2017/2018 season, which leaves you with Chileno as your only option in that area. Camping Chileno requires you to buy full board with a camping spot, which comes out to 70,000 pesos per person. Fantastico Sur’s prices have risen quite a bit but I found Vertice’s prices are still about the same.

Hey Steve, great article! Just wondering if you bought all your freeze dried food before heading down there? A group of us are heading down to do the W-trek and were wondering if it’d be cheaper to buy freeze dried food down there or in the US before our flights to Chile. Any thoughts?

Hey – it’d be cheaper and easier to buy them beforehand…but make sure the ingredients don’t get in the way with what you’re allowed to bring in. As those regulations change often i recommend checking them before you leave.

Hey Steve! I read the article and went ahead to purchase the book…what a great resource to have! Have you experienced booking campsites with Vertice? I’ve tried emailing (in both spanish and english) without response in over a week to book 2 nights, following your W trek itinerary. Any advice?

Great post, Steve. I’ve learned a lot of useful things about Patagonia from your youtube videos and posts. I am a travel blogger myself and I will be going to Patagonia this March. I was wondering if you have any PR contact names for Hotel Las Torres that you could share with me. I would appreciate it. Thank you.